I’ve been away from my blog for a while because I’ve been grappling with some heavy duty issues. Besides the fact that the week of Labor Day all 5 kids were sick with something…strep throat, pink-eye, and a nasty virus…it was a Clorox commercial here all week! Everyone is well and back to school.
Next, I was on the Hot Seat and work and do some major work over the past two weeks that encompassed quite a bit of thinking (not worrying) and physical energy, but God is faithful and brought me through.
Finally, I was really struggling with what I’ll call cultural shackles. Not cultural in the sense of ethnicity, although that might be a part of it, but in the sense of the “culture” of your family. My uncle’s recent death brought some things to light for me that I wasn’t quite expecting. I am amazed at the dysfunction that can exist in families for super long periods of time. I’ve been struggling with the root cause… is it lack of parental training, parental love, diabetes gone unchecked, WHAT!
After praying on it for more than a week for some discernment, some things were presented to me that made absolute sense. One, people can be bound by cultural shackles, meaning they may have knowledge of Christ, but lack the intimate relationship that changes the heart and behavior, they continue to live under the principles of the culture (world). I can clearly see that there is no peace in one’s spirit without the Holy Spirit. You can say you are good, loving and treat all man-kind with respect, but when raw emotions are tapped, can you demonstrate a Godly attitude and behavior, can you really allow the Spirit to take over and reject the EGO and all the strife it wants to conjure up to fuel its own selfish destruction.
One of the main reasons I scrapbook is to help family members to recognize cultural shackles and break free of them for good!
Two, although I’m thrilled that I have only one fabulous sibling, my sister Candace, she quickly reminded me that my kids have multiple siblings. So I am immersing myself on paying attention to how they treat each other. Here are two areas I’m concentrating on this week.
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Reviewing Biblical reasons to thwart sibling rivalry, I want them to love each other now and even when they are 70 years old. I recently heard on this radio broadcast that 1 of the 7 things God hates is one who causes trouble with his brothers. I’ll be breaking down this thought and instilling it in my kid’s heads.
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As a parent, when I hear the tattling and sibling rivalry I’ll be asking heart probing questions and try to root out the sinful patterns. If I don’t do it now, I’ll be laying in my grave listening to them as full grown adults quarreling with each other and wearing childhood emotions & issues on their sleeves.
My beautiful and intelligent sister, Candace.
